Rescue Mission
by musicalcat93
Summary: When the Resistance is captured by the First Order, Rey and Ben must work together to free them. But, things don't go as planned. Is Ben really on her side, or is the whole thing a trap?
1. Chapter 1

"Rey!" The deep voice shouting behind her startled Rey, causing her to drop the engine parts she'd been fiddling with. She sighed with frustration as the pieces clattered back into the pile of scrap metal sitting in her lap.

"Don't do that to me Ben. A simple hello would be sufficient to get my attention" Not bothering to get up from the ground Rey twisted around to see the imposing figure of the Supreme Leader standing a few feet away, the wind whipping his black cape around him. She was planning on teasing him some more about breaking her concentration, but faltered when she saw the worry lining his face. "What's wrong?" she inquired.

"Hux has managed to capture the last of the resistance" Ben said frantically. "He did it behind my back or I would have tried to warn you."

Rey scrambled to her feet, completely ignoring the various nuts and bolts that tumbled off her lap and onto the sandy ground. She stepped over the already forgotten parts as Ben closed the distance between them and wrapped his long arms around her. One hand settled on her waist, pulling her into a tight embrace, the other cradled her head against his chest. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in her familiar scent.

"I panicked upon hearing the news. I was so afraid you were among the captured or worse." The relief was evident in his voice.

Rey reluctantly pulled her head away from his broad chest and looked up into his dark eyes. "No, I came here a few days ago to try and barter for parts to repair some of our fighters. We got into a scuffle with some First Order troops last week."

Ben nodded slightly as he pushed a loose strand of brown hair out of her face and then cupped her cheek gently. "I'm just happy you're safe. I don't know what I would do if I lost you…" His voice trailed off as he continued to stare at her. Seemingly trying to reassure himself that she really was here in front of him and not locked in a cell somewhere.

Rey leaned into his large hand, relishing the warmth from it that seemed to spread throughout her entire body. Even through the bond, his touch was extremely comforting and reassuring.

Ben continued. "We're going to need to figure out a plan to get them free and quickly. Hux will likely be calling for their executions and I don't know how long I can stall him."

Rey's face must have showed her confusion as Ben's own expression changed to one of curiosity.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I'm just...surprised you want to help. I didn't think you liked any of them. Or maybe you thought I didn't notice the frequent eye rolls and annoyed sighs, especially when I talk about Poe and Finn" Rey commented. She could almost understand his willingness to help if Leia had been among the captured, but it had been several weeks since her tragic passing.

Ben's deep voice was laced with a touch of amusement. "Not particularly. But I listen to you talk about them and I can feel what they mean to you." He finally looked away from Rey and studied the sandy ground beneath their feet, a sad smile playing on his lips. "And I guess I might be starting to care about them a little. It's not like I have any friends of my own here in the First Order." Raising his head to meet Rey's eyes again, his heart skipped a beat upon seeing the love in her gaze.

Even after everything they'd been through to get to this point; Rey was still surprised at how willing Ben seemed to help rescue her friends. He really had changed so much. She reached up and gently traced her finger down his prominent scar, stopping only when it disappeared beneath his collar. She could feel him leaning into her touch, relishing the contact. Rey was thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I just can't come blasting my way into the First Order. We'll have to figure out something." Her voice was quiet, but determined.

Ben opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly looked up over her shoulder at something on his end of the bond. "I have to go, Hux is coming. I'll contact you this evening" With that he vanished, leaving Rey standing alone in the hot desert air.


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is a flashback to how Rey and Ben got together. We'll get back to the main story in the next chapter. Please review.**

After Ben's abrupt departure, Rey hurried to finish the repairs on her ship. As she worked, her thoughts drifted back to how they'd arrived at this point, with the infamous Jedi killer worried about her.

After their union against the Praetorian Guard and the ensuing battle on Crait, the Force Bond between them had surprisingly continued. The first few times the connection happened they had spent the whole time yelling at each other. Each filled with disappointment and anger at how things had transpired. Rey was amazed that nobody had caught her arguing with empty air, as their new rebel base was not exactly large.

However, they soon realized this connection wasn't going to end. Both had grown tired of their repeated arguments and threats, each session felt like a carbon copy of the previous. So they resorted to simply ignoring each other, barely even acknowledging the other's presence.

This routine continued on for some time until one evening, Rey noticed that Ben seemed more tired and drained than normal. Usually, he would give her some sort of menacing glare before continuing on with whatever task was occupying him at that moment. On this occasion however, he didn't even glance up when the bond opened with the now familiar rush of senses that always hit them. As the bond had grown more enhanced lately, Rey could see he was sitting on the edge of his bed, his hands resting on the gray sheets on either side of his hips. Even though his face was partially obscured by his raven black hair, Rey could tell something was bothering him. His eyes were locked on the floor and his jaw was clenched so tight it must have hurt. Seeing him like this caused her curiosity to spike so she finally decided to break the ongoing silence and carefully asked, "What's wrong?"

"You wouldn't understand" He replied curtly, not even bothering to meet her gaze.

Rey felt a spike of anger at his response that caused her cheeks to flush. Here she was trying to make civil contact for once and he was blowing her off. "What? Did you not reach your desired kill count today? Can't decide which star system to wipe out next?" Rey replied mockingly. She was trying to get a rise out of him with those comments; she had plenty of experience dealing with an angry Ben and was preparing for an argument. But, she was surprised when he merely turned away from her, his shoulders appearing to sag even more. Startled by this reaction, Rey's anger vanished as quickly as it had come; this was not the Ben she was used to seeing. She set down the Jedi text she'd been reviewing and turned her complete focus towards him. Even though it was against her better judgment, she dropped her mental barriers and was surprised to find his almost non-existent. She reached through them with ease, but the multitude of conflicting emotions that hit her caused her to actually take a step back. Guilt was the most prominent of the feelings emanating from young sith lord; the intensity of it caused a wave of nausea to pass over her. Fear, loneliness, and sadness were all mixed in as well. Rey didn't know how he was able to stand it all.

"Ben..." She said softly, taking a couple of steps forward and subconsciously reaching out for him.

"Just leave me alone!" He spanned harshly at her.

Rey stopped, drawing her hand back. "I've never felt those emotions from you before. I didn't know Dark side users..." She started, but decided against it and began to turn away from him.

"Ever since Snoke's death, it's gotten harder for me to access the Dark side as fully." Ben spoke suddenly. "It's still very much a part of me, but it doesn't drive me like it used to. I think Snoke was feeding the Darkness inside of me to control my thoughts easier." He shifted around to face her and Rey could see he was almost as surprised as she was at what he was telling her.

"He must have been suppressing certain emotions as well and now they're reemerging. The guilt at my past actions it's…..getting hard to deal with." His voice seemed dangerously close to breaking as he spoke.

"Is there...someone you can talk to on your ship?" Rey asked cautiously, unsure what to make of this new development. Could this be a trick of sorts?

Ben let out a heartless laugh as he pushed off the bed and stood to face her. "You're kidding, right? Being the Supreme Leader, I don't have the luxury of friends. You can't understand what that feels like."

Rey was quiet for a while as she contemplated his words. When she'd lived on Jakku, there was no one she could turn to. Her life had been about simply surviving from one moment to the next in the harshest of environments. Working long, scorching days to get the smallest of portions that couldn't begin to satiate her hunger. Often having to fight to protect her scraps or her honor against the thugs who thought they could have their way with her. There were countless nights where she would have given anything for some much needed company.

She was lucky to have a few good friends now, especially Finn and Rose. They made her laugh, were easy to talk to, and cared deeply about her. But, as she considered it, she realized there was still a loneliness lurking below the surface that she hadn't wanted to face. None of them could ever fully understand what it had been like to truly be alone in life.

When she glanced back at Ben there was a new tenderness in his eyes as he gazed at her. She realized that she'd forgotten to put her mental walls back up after reading him so he had experienced her memories and thoughts as well.

"Maybe we're more alike than we both realized." He said thoughtfully.

After that night, the dynamic shifted between them. They started talking and confiding in one another, providing much needed companionship. Over time, they learned how to control the bond and soon either could initiate it whenever needed, or desired.

Ben started giving her some basic training and advice on Force use and fighting styles. He even assisted her in building a new lightsaber. In return, Rey helped give Ben the strength to deal with his conflicted feelings and emotions that had been long buried.

After many shared evenings, they both had to admit their feelings ran deeper than friendship. Something in the Force seemed to be pulling them together like a magnet. They started longing for the day when they could finally put an end to this war and be together.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure there's no other way?" Rey asked for what was probably the tenth time that evening. She'd been nervously pacing almost continuously since they'd started discussing rescue plans a few hours earlier. Ben had proposed an idea fairly quickly, but Rey had been hesitant about it. Unfortunately, every time they had the beginnings of a different plan, an obstacle would come up and they'd have to revert back to the original.

Ben sat at the small table in the Falcon, head in his palms. "No matter what we do, Hux is bound to figure out that I'm helping you. He's been making some odd remarks lately so I'm sure he already suspects me." He rubbed his eyes, trying to provide some relief to the slight headache he'd been fighting all night. "I'd rather us be together when this goes down, we're so much stronger that way."

Rey stopped her pacing abruptly and crossed her arms in frustration. "I just hate for you to lose your position of Supreme Leader. You're actually starting to do some good in the galaxy." Ben had told her he'd been making slow, but deliberate changes in the First Order. Pulling out forces from certain sectors so that cities could start to regain their independence had been a first step. He'd also assured her that, even though she couldn't see it, he was trying his best to dismantle the First Order from within as well.

Ben dropped his hands to the table and started tracing the many dents and scratches on its surface. Memories flooding back at the many childhood hours spent at this very table. He knew the stories associated with each mark, having even created a few himself. "I know, but I was right. Hux was practically gleeful when he asked permission to schedule a public execution for the prisoners. I was able to stave him off for a while, saying I had a lead on you that I wanted to investigate first. Convinced him it would make a bigger impact against your supporters if the First Order were to get rid of the last Jedi at the same time.

Rey slumped into the bench next to him and leaned against his broad shoulder. Never one to give up easily, she did have to admit he was right. "Alright, we'll do it your way."

Ben shifted slightly so he could wrap his arm around her, pulling her closer. He was always amazed at how strong she was with such a small frame. "We're only going to get one shot at this and it's our best chance of pulling it off."

Rey sighed with exhaustion, her eyelids growing heavier. She'd been awake for almost 24 hours and could really use some sleep. "That's a big chance. But I'm willing to try anything as long as it's with you."

Ben glanced down at her, unsure what he had done to deserve the love of this beautiful woman. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, her trust in him would make his real plan even easier to execute. He tore his eyes away from her and studied the wall on the opposite side of the room, trying to keep his thoughts focused. "I feel the same way" He replied, his rich voice barely more than a whisper.

Rey shifted slightly, trying to keep herself awake. "How are you going to explain when you bring me back and it doesn't really look like we've been fighting each other?"

Ben answered, almost too quickly. "I have a separate hanger for my personal shuttle. We can enter the First Order without anyone's knowledge. That should give us the time needed to get your friends out."

"Well I guess you could always pretend to handcuff me if you had to." Rey said with a small laugh.

Ben's whole body tensed slightly at her words and he squeezed her shoulder gently to cover it up. "It might be a little tricky to make sure I'm alone when I come to collect you. I'll have to tell Hux you're too dangerous to risk having the operation botched by anyone else." He waited for her reply, but realized her breathing had slowed.

He looked down at her sleeping figure and saw how content and peaceful she was. Ben wondered if it had ever crossed her mind that, since discovering they could have physical contact through the bond, he could have killed her at any time. Even now, it would be so easy to reach down and close his fingers tightly around her throat.

Ben pulled his cape gently over Rey, thinking about the actions he was going to have to take, and how it would hurt her. Initially, he thought he could pull this off without feeling guilty. But, as he felt Rey's chest rise and fall with her gentle breathing, his lies began to weigh on him heavily. He was thankful she had been preoccupied with saving her friends. This meant she hadn't noticed how he'd been keeping his mind closed off from her to hide his upcoming deception.


	4. Chapter 4

**I probably won't get another chapter up until next week so I apologize for leaving you with that cliffhanger!**

Rey scanned the sky anxiously, watching for the first sign of any vessel breaking through the atmosphere. Before long she saw the outline of a large black ship descending upon her location. Rey tensed, her hand going to the newly constructed lightsaber clipped at her waist. The cool, smooth feel of the metal handle reassured her. She couldn't be too careful in case Ben had been discovered and this was a trap.

The descending shuttle created small whirlwinds around Rey, causing strands of hair to whip across her face. The doors began to open upon landing and a tall figure, dressed all in black, strode down the ramp. Relief flooded through Rey as she hurried to meet him.

They stopped right in front of the other, both hesitant as to what to do next. This was the first time they'd been physically together since that fateful day on Snoke's ship. Rey moved first, pushing her fingers into his long, black hair and kissing him full on the lips. Ben's hands went to her waist and the back of her neck, pulling her in closer to deepen it. They had kissed a few times through the bond, but this definitely felt different. It was more vivid, each sensation heightened compared to previous occasions.

Ben finally broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. They stood together for a few moments, savoring each other's company.

"Too bad we don't have time to explore all the perks of being in the same location." Rey teased with a smile.

"Don't tempt me." Ben moved his hand gently down her arm, lightly running his fingers over her skin.

Rey felt a shiver go through her spine at his touch. She wanted more of this, to feel his hands on every part of her body. But, she knew they had more dire matters to deal with first.

Gently taking Rey's hand in his own, Ben turned back towards his ship. "Come on. We'd better get going."

Once onboard, Rey took a seat on one of the hard benches behind the pilots seat as Ben proceeded with the start-up sequence. She watched wordlessly as his fingers flew expertly over the console. It seemed he was a natural pilot like herself. Within a few moments they had taken off and were making their way through the stars. At first they tried to make small talk, but they soon fell quiet. Both were lost in their own thoughts of what was to come.

Rey had lost track of how long they'd been flying so she looked up with a jolt as she felt the ship drop out of hyperdrive. She stilled at the sight of the huge ship that loomed ahead of them. Her experiences at the hands of Snoke last time she'd been aboard the Supremacy flashed through her mind. The painful memories of how that horrible monster had invaded her mind caused her to grip the bench so hard her knuckles turned white.

Ben's breath caught as he felt the strong emotions surge in Rey. He hadn't even considered how being back here would affect her. A knot formed in his stomach at what he knew was about to happen.

"There's still time to turn back." He noted quietly.

A look of resolve settled on Rey's face. "No, I'll be fine."

They both jumped slightly when a voice suddenly came over comms. "State your name and intention."

Ben took a deep breath and pushed the button to reply. "Do you not recognize your own Supreme Leader's ship?" He shouted at the poor communications officer. "Open the bay doors at once if you wish to keep your job. I have no patience to be kept waiting."

Rey's eyebrows rose slightly as the young officer proceeded to stumble over his words trying to apologize. "I think somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"

Ben shrugged half-heartedly. "I do have an image to maintain."

He piloted the shuttle expertly into the hanger and landed on a large pad off to the side. As they both rose from their seats Ben turned to face her. "Do you trust me?" He asked hesitantly.

Rey smiled warmly at the tall man and reached down to grasp his hand. "You know I do." Ben held her gaze for a moment and then closed his eyes.

At that moment the shuttle doors began descending. Rey glanced towards the opening and was confused at the sight before her. A large group of stormtroopers was gathered at the base of the ramp with a gingered haired man standing at the head of the crowd. "Ben, what is going on?" Rey asked. But when she looked back at him his eyes were cold, hard, and dangerous. She realized with a start she was now looking at Kylo Ren.

With lightning fast reflexes that came from years of training, he gripped her wrist and twisted her arms behind her back painfully as he shoved her up against the wall. Rey panicked as she felt the cold, hard steel of cuffs being tightened over her wrists. Before she could say anything, Ben pulled a rough piece of cloth into her mouth and tied it behind her head, effectively gagging her. She felt her saber being ripped off her belt and her trusty blaster was removed as well leaving her completely disarmed.

A red light lit the room as he pulled her around so she was facing him again. Rey could feel the heat from his crackling lightsaber as he held the blade barely an inch from her throat. "Try anything and I'll make the scar you gave me look like a paper cut." Ben's voice was low and threatening, totally void of any of the warmth he usually used towards her. He extinguished his weapon and pulled her roughly towards the ramp, moving so quickly that Rey stumbled trying to keep up. "Move it, scavenger scum!" He growled at her.

She and Ben approached the awaiting group of solders. The officer front and center was dressed all in black, similar to Ben. He had an amused, yet menacing smirk as he watched the two force users come to a stop in front of him. "Well, well. The fabled Last Jedi. It appears, Supreme Leader, that your plan worked after all" A touch of surprise was laced through his tone.

Rey felt a sense of dread rise in her throat as the weight of the situation dawned on her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the delay (especially with the ending of the last chapter)! I have the next couple of chapters started so hopefully I can publish again soon.**

This couldn't be happening, Rey thought. She tried to remember back to any signs she might have missed that would have given away Ben's betrayal, but her mind drew a blank. Rey desperately tried to catch Ben's gaze but he remained focused on Hux, his expression blank and unreadable. She attempted to open her mind to him, but the bond was closed tight.

"You know, I was skeptical at first." Rey's head jerked back to the ginger-haired General as he addressed her. "When our Supreme Leader was telling me how he had been deceiving you all these months, I was hesitant to believe he could have pulled that off. It appears, however, I was proven wrong. I guess it shouldn't surprise me though; you are rather young and naive." Hux's voice dripped with malicious intent. "Thankfully, your death will deal the final blow to any resistance sympathizers."

Rey couldn't fathom the events that were unfolding. She was so sure Ben had changed, yet now it seemed that was all a lie. Had she truly been blinded by her own desires to see the truth? She struggled against Ben, but he maintained his vice-like grip on her arm.

Ben snapped his head towards her as she tried to pull away from him. "What? Are you surprised, little Jedi? With your desperate need for family, it was almost too easy to fool you. Did you truly believe that I could actually care for someone, a nobody, like you?"

Rey froze with shock at his words. She tried to respond, but only managed a small moan through her gag.

"Save it." Ben replied coldly. "I'm just thankful I don't have to pretend to care for you anymore."

Rey could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, but she blinked them back. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing that he'd hurt her.

"I will take her down to the interrogation room to be held with the rest of the resistance." Ben informed Hux. He turned and started to pull her towards the hallway.

"You've already done enough in this scheme. Perhaps some of my men should escort her." Hux replied with a sneer.

When Ben turned back to address the General, Rey seized the opportunity and pushed her whole body into Ben to break his grasp. She kicked his hip to knock him off balance and started to run. But, before she could make it more than a few steps, a wall of energy slammed into her, throwing her a couple of feet into the air. She came down and hit the floor hard, sliding into some crates. Before she could fully recover from having the breath knocked out of her, a pair of gloved hands hauled her roughly to her feet.

"Apparently, Hux, I'm the only one able to keep her under control." Ben turned sharply and walked away, practically dragging Rey across the room.

Rey continued to struggle against him but it was no use, Ben was stronger than her in every way. They walked for just a couple of minutes before he pulled her sharply into what looked like a small supply closet. He let go of her arm so he could glance down the hallway before closing the door.

Rey backed against the far wall, trying to put some space between them. Her mind was racing, fearing the worst for what Ben planned to do with her.

She was shaking slightly as Ben rounded on her. He moved right in front of her and pulled down her gag. "Are you alright? Did I hurt you?" He asked before rambling on breathlessly. "I'm so sorry. I had to tell Hux something and I figured it was most believable if everyone thought I'd been able to gain your trust and then double cross you. You have no idea how hard that was for me to do." Rey could hear the pain in his voice as he tried to explain his actions.

When he finally stopped to draw breath, Rey broke in. "Everything you did…was a ruse?"

Even though he wouldn't meet her gaze, Rey could see that Ben's eyes were damp. "Yes. I knew it would probably cost me your trust, but it was the only way I could think of to get you on this ship to rescue your friends." He reached up as though to caress her cheek, but then pulled his hand back as though deciding against the gesture.

Rey could see that the emotions and conflict running through Ben were threatening to tear him apart. "You just did what you had to." She said quietly.

Ben was silent for a minute as he tried to get control of his emotions. He glanced back towards the door as though expecting someone to come barging through it. "We should get going. I've bought us some time, but we can't waste it." He hesitated, struggling to find the words he needed to say. "I…should gag you again."

Rey nodded reluctantly and Ben carefully replaced the gag over her lips. He took her arm again, much more gently this time, and they exited the closet.

Rey tried to stay calm as they made their way through the sterile looking hallways. Her heart was beating so loudly she was afraid every passing stormtrooper would hear it and call them out. Ben must have sensed her trepidation because he squeezed her arm reassuringly.

As they walked Rey tried to figure out if she really could trust Ben or if this was yet another trap. She knew his mental prowess in the force was formidable, but just couldn't believe he'd been fooling her all this time. All those precious moments they'd shared were too genuine to have been faked.

They soon arrived at their destination, one of the main control rooms. Ben marched in and spoke with an authoritative voice. "Everyone is to leave this room now and return to your quarters. Do not speak to anyone about this." Rey could feel the Force ripple through the air as Ben's command was pushed to every person occupying the room. Looking like they were being controlled by marionette strings, each officer stood and silently walked out.

Before the door had even fully closed, Ben was releasing the cuffs and untying her gag. He brushed his gloved fingers lightly against her wrists where the restraints had left bright red marks. He was no longer blocking his side of the bond and Rey knew he felt horrible about causing her physical pain. She tried to take his hands in her own, but he pulled away. "The things I said... I just need you to know I could never mean them. You are my whole world. I swore to myself that I would never let you be harmed, yet I was the one who hurt you. I guess I really am a monster. I'll help you get everyone on a ship and then you never have to see me again."

Words would not come to Rey in that moment so she moved forward and kissed him. He hesitated for a moment, but then leaned in to return it. Unlike when they'd kissed a few hours earlier, this time the bond was fully open. Emotions and thoughts flowed between them like never before. Their desires and passions feeding into each other, intensifying them even more. The Force seemed to literally spark in the surrounding air as energy from the two powerful beings swirled around them. Light and Dark met in that moment, bleeding together to create something new.

Ben finally broke the kiss, resting his forehead against Rey's.

"So that was considerably more intense than last time" Rey commented, slightly out of breath.

"I didn't have anything to hide this time." Ben finally met her gaze. "Can you truly forgive me for what I did?"

Rey stood on her toes so she could throw her arms around his neck. "Yes. You are my everything too and I can't lose you."

Ben buried his face in the crook of her neck, hardly believing what she was saying after all that had transpired. "I love you." He spoke barely loud enough for her to hear, but Rey could literally feel the wave of vast emotions behind those three simple words. They sent a shock though her spine and she gasped at how powerful and pure they were. "I know." She replied, trying to convey her feelings back to him.

A random beeping noise shook them both back to reality, causing them to reluctantly break their embrace. "We need to figure out which room the resistance is being held in." Ben said, sitting down at one of the consoles and pushing various buttons.

As Ben worked, Rey studied the room. Even though she'd grown up in the dessert, the silver and black walls around her seemed more dead and uninviting than Jakku. "How are we getting out of here?" She questioned.

Ben didn't look up from his typing. "There's a decommissioned transport ship that I had fueled up last night. It's being held in the smaller launch bay, so not nearly the amount of security to worry about." He paused as footage from a security camera popped up on the screen, showing a group of people crammed into a holding cell. "We might have an extra problem to deal with."

Rey moved to stand behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Who are they?"

"Looks like Hux ordered a raid this morning while I was gone and took these civilians hostage." Almost subconsciously, Ben reached up and covered Rey's hand with his own.

"We can't just leave them here." Rey said with conviction. "There are children in that group."

Ben smiled. "Somehow I knew you were going to say that. Unfortunately, they're being held on a different level than the resistance. I don't think we'll have time to get to both places and back to the escape ship before an alarm is sounded."

Rey considered this problem. "What if we were to split up?"

"No! It's too dangerous." He replied emphatically as he stood to face her.

"You said it yourself. We don't have time to do both together and I am not leaving innocent people here to be hurt." Her beautiful brown eyes pleaded with him to do the right thing.

Ben could tell Rey had made up her mind and there was nothing he could say or do to change it. "Ok. I'll take the civilians because their cell is further away. Plus, the resistance is probably going to be more open to you anyway."

"Fine" Rey said, nodding in agreement. "Just point me the right way."


	6. Chapter 6

Ben hated letting Rey go off by herself. He wished they could stay together and continue the prisoner/guard act. At least that way he could protect her if needed. Luckily, they had found some spare uniforms so she would be less conspicuous. Even so, his heart ached as he watched her head the opposite way out of the control room.

As he made his way to the brig, Ben replayed the earlier events in his head. The look in Rey's eyes when he had "betrayed" her had nearly destroyed him. He'd felt her desperate attempts to reach him through the bond, her panic and fear slamming into him like waves on a beach. It had taken all his self-control to maintain the charade, hating himself for all the horrible things he'd said. He remembered the sadness and disappointment in her brown eyes when he'd declared his disgust for her. Then, just when he thought he couldn't get worse, she had actually feared he was going to do unspeakable acts to her when they'd taken refuge in that closet.

He ran his fingers through his long, curly hair, trying to clear his turbulent thoughts. Ben had come into this mission having made peace with the fact that Rey surely wouldn't want anything to do with him afterwards. But even after everything, she had still forgiven him and even declared her love. He would do anything to keep her safe.

Ben found two guards on duty upon arriving at the cell block. It was obvious they weren't taking their assignment seriously as they'd pulled a bench close to the door and were playing a game of cards. Both were busy talking and making bets so they didn't hear his echoing footsteps approaching. The trooper facing him finally looked up when he was just a few paces away and Ben felt a wave of panic emanate from him. Muttering a warning to his companion, both guards dropped their cards hastily, grabbed their blasters, and attempted to get into position.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Ben shouted, trying once again to channel his best Kylo Ren.

The stormtroopers stammered their pathetic excuses, but Ben silenced them with a wave of his hand.

"You will report immediately to your supervisor for reprimand." Ben ordered

Both guards hesitated, one of them asking cautiously. "But, sir. What about the prisoners?"

"I will attend to them. Perhaps I can find guards who are more attentive at their posts. Now go!" Ben watched as they sloppily saluted him and then scurried away. He waited for a moment to make sure they didn't return, thinking how fortunate such an easy opportunity to dismiss them had presented itself.

Finally deciding the coast was clear, Ben unlocked the cell door. The prisoners looked up expectantly as the door slid up with a gentle metallic grind. But as their eyes adjusted to the sudden flood of light, their expressions became fearful as Ben's large frame filled the doorway. There were not quite twenty people huddled together in small groups. They were dressed plainly, probably farmers and craftsmen. Most were adults, but there were a couple of young kids and even a small baby cradled in his mother's arms.

Before he had the chance to address them, one of the older gentlemen stood and spoke. "Do what you want with me, you monster. Just please leave the children alone."

Ben felt like he'd been punched in the stomach when he heard the man say those words. It reminded him of a time before he was fortunate enough to have Rey in his life, a time he hoped never to return to. The fear that was pulsing in this room seemed to rake across his skin, leaving it raw and burning. He held up his hands in a show of surrender. "Please, I'm not here to hurt you. There's a ship I will guide you to that can be used to escape."

"And why should we believe you?" The man questioned fiercely. "We've just been ripped from our homes by the First Order, of which you're the leader."

Ben wished he could use the Force on them; it would be so much easier and faster. But, he knew it was time to start earning peoples trust again. "I know it's hard to believe, but I'm here to help you. I've realized it's time for the First Order to end, this conflict and war has gone on long enough. Too many families, such as yours, have been torn apart by meaningless battles. The suffering and death must be stopped. But I can't do that unless you give me a chance to prove myself."

Throughout his whole explanation the man, who appeared to be their leader of sorts, stood his ground. Ben was impressed with the amount of courage shown on his part. Not only was Ben physically imposing, standing nearly a head taller, but he knew stories of his powerful abilities reached every corner of the galaxy.

Finally, after a moment of consideration, the man turned to the small group and nodded. Everyone rose quietly and began filing out of the room. Ben moved to the front of the group and began leading them though all the back routes to avoid detection. For once, Ben was grateful for his feared reputation. Even if the couple of officers they did encounter had any reservations as to the nature of his actions, they seemed too scared of the Supreme Leader to intervene.

After a journey that seemed to take forever, they reached the shuttle bay and Ben breathed a small sigh of relief. "Everyone through there" He urged the group. Some still had wary looks as they passed him, and he could feel the slight apprehension that hung in the air like a fog. Ben tried not to take it personally; he knew it was a big leap of faith he was asking them to take in trusting him.

His eyes kept flickering down the hallway, wondering where Rey could be. He was just ready to contact her though their bond when suddenly a young woman at the back of the group called out. "Alana!"

Ben could hear the desperation in her voice as she frantically turned in circles, seemingly searching for someone. Worried her cries might be overheard he grabbed her arms, trying to calm her. "What's wrong?" He asked.

She responded between sobs "My baby girl, Alana. She was right behind me, but now she's gone. She was complaining she left her doll behind, but I told her we couldn't retrieve it" Tears spilled down her face and her eyes were wild with fright.

Ben's head snapped up to scan the empty hallway. "Board the ship with the others. I will look for her"

He retraced their steps, hoping to see her around every corner. Finally, he arrived back at the cell to see her coming out, holding a small stuffed toy. Ben held out a hand to her. "Come, your mother is worried."

The young girl stopped upon seeing him and took a slight step back. Unease etched in every line of her young face. "My daddy says you're a bad man and that you hurt people." She squeezed her doll even tighter, as though it provided a shield of protection.

Once again his stomach tied in knots at the accusations. Ben swallowed hard and pushed his feelings aside though, moving forward slowly and kneeling by Alana. "I used to be." He spoke in a quiet, gentle tone that he hadn't used in years. "But, people can change and that's exactly what I'm doing. For someone I care very deeply about"

"Who?" Alana asked with innocent wonder.

"A very beautiful and courageous woman, named Rey. She is known as the Last Jedi and together I hope we can bring peace to this galaxy."

"Well isn't that sweet" In one fluid moment Ben ignited his lightsaber and turned to face the source of the sneering voice. Hux stood a few meters away flanked by half a dozen stormtroppers, all aiming blasters at him. "I thought your story of tricking the scavenger girl seemed too good to be true. So when I discovered the control room had been breached, I knew it had to be you."

Ben moved to place himself in front of Alana, shielding her from the trooper's weapons. He cursed himself for not sensing their approach. Leveling his saber at Hux, Ben was determined to get rid of this thorn in his side once and for all.

A voice suddenly crackled over Hux's radio. "General! We checked the interrogation rooms but all the resistance fighters are gone." Ben felt a surge of relief, knowing this meant Rey had succeeded with her half of the mission.

"Well, find them!" Hux screamed into the radio, a vein pulsing angrily in his temple. He sighed with frustration and turned his attention back to Ben. "Fortunately, I'll at least be able to bring you into custody."

Ben gripped the hilt of his saber tightly, preparing for the immanent fight.


	7. Chapter 7

The First Order uniform Rey had donned was the most uncomfortable thing she'd ever worn. The fabric was stiff and restricting and the collar scratched roughly against her neck. It was so unlike the light, breathable garments she was used to on Jakku. She was amazed how people got tasks accomplished suffering in these all day. The hat was the only accessory she was grateful for, which she kept pulled low over her features to hide her identity.

She concentrated on remembering the directions that Ben had given her, avoiding eye contact with everyone as she moved through the veritable maze of hallways. Right here, fourth left, up one level. How did people manage not to get lost on these massive ships? She wondered if the ships were designed this way on purpose to overwhelm the senses and give off the impression of foreboding. Perhaps this is how the First Order kept their troops in line?

Rey tried not to let her mind wander as she walked, but it was difficult. The kiss she and Ben had shared kept replaying itself for her. She could still almost feel his soft lips on hers, gentle at first but growing more passionate by the second. His hands running up and down her body, desperate to connect in every way possible. She had felt his darkness seep through the bond, acting like a cooling breeze to her blinding light. Looking back that should have scared her, but it didn't. In fact Rey had felt more at peace and balanced in that moment than ever before. She had felt power through the force before, but nothing compared to the energy that flowed between them. The very essence of the universe had seemed to pulse with their every breath.

Shaking her head back and forth to dispel the vivid memory, Rey pushed on. Her boots clicking on the shiny black floor, each echoing step seemed to be an ominous sign. The only comfort was the gentle thump of her concealed saber against her hip.

After walking for what felt like miles, she found the interrogation area. Luckily, there were only two guards on duty. The white-clad troopers turned their attention to her as she approached, appearing to await her orders. Rey took a deep breath and, mimicking Ben as best she could, forced her will into every syllable. "You will leave your posts and go to the opposite end of the ship."

They both repeated back her words and then walked robotically out of sight. Not wanting to waste her precious time, Rey swiftly moved past the control panel and into the corridor where several small cells lined each side. Three to four resistance members were held behind each locked door, with a quick head count yielding nearly thirty people.

A few looked up as she stepped into view, most remained quiet except for one. A voice she knew well started yelling at her from her left. "Look here. We've been held prisoner for hours with basically no food or..." Poe froze, recognition dawning on his face when Rey met his gaze. "How..." The unfinished sentence trailed off in disbelief.

"Never mind the details." Rey hissed quietly, already checking over her shoulder for passing guards. "I'm going to get you out, just give me a second." She turned her attention to the keypad by the door and punched in the override code Ben had forced her to memorize. Holding her breath, she prayed they hadn't changed the codes. But, the cell door slid open easily with a muffled clang.

Before Poe even had a chance to step out of his cell, Rey was proceeding to the next one. She repeated the process at all the cell doors, each time greeted with whispered thanks. Finn stepped out of the final door and threw his arms around her in a big bear hug. She eagerly returned it, elated to see her best friend hadn't been harmed. She thanked Ben under her breath for keeping her friends safe.

"You mind telling us how we're going to get off the god awful ship." Poe's impatient voice broke through their reunion.

"There's a ship in a cargo bay not far from here. It fueled and ready to go, we only have to reach it." Poe opened his mouth, more questions evident in his eyes, but Rey cut him off. "Look, there's no time to explain. We just need to move, now!"

The small band of resistance fighters didn't need to be told twice, happy to be leaving their now vacant jail cells. The route to the cargo bay was much less populated than her previous trip from the control room. They encountered three First Order members, but all were easily subdued by various means and the group proceeded unhindered.

Rey kept trying to formulate what she would say when the resistance encountered Ben for the first time. She knew it wouldn't be easy for them to believe he was on their side. Poe and Finn would be the most difficult to convince, that she was sure of. Each had previous experiences with Kylo that had left them scarred, both emotionally and physically. Somehow she had to make them understand that Ben was not the same person as when he'd carried out those heinous acts.

A small group of people were huddled around one of the stored aircrafts as they entered the cargo bay. They shuffled anxiously as the slightly larger resistance band marched in.

"Who are these people?" Poe asked, surveying the group.

"They're civilians that were captured by the First Order. I'll fill in the details later, but they're coming with us." Rey said impatiently. She was scanning the group, trying to locate Ben.

Poe did not like being kept in the dark, but nodded in agreement. "Alright. Well, holler when everyone is on board and I'll get this bird in the air."

"No, we have to wait. There's someone else coming with us." Rey was beginning to get desperate at Ben's absence.

"Who?" Poe asked with a puzzled look. "Everyone's here."

But Rey wasn't really paying attention anymore; intense emotions were beginning to seep through the bond. She pointedly ignored his question. "Just wait a second." Not waiting for a reply, Rey ran around to the opposite side of the ship. She'd barely made it out of view when, without warning, an intense pain shot through her abdomen. She doubled over as it radiated throughout her chest, causing her breath to seize up. She threw open their bond, desperately trying to contact him. " _Ben. BEN!_ " Another wave of pain slammed into her, but she clenched her jaw. " _Hang in there,_ _I'm coming for you_."

Just as she pulled herself to her feet, the pain subsided slightly. " _No! I'll make it to you_." His voice was strained, but determined.

Rey sank to the floor, trying to calm down. She was still feeling the effects of whatever wound Ben had sustained, but it was now more attune to a dull throb. His fear and anger were even more muted. Rey figured he was trying to block her out so she wouldn't worry, but that only made it worse. She waited in agony for several minutes, every fiber of her being screaming to go after him. She tried to keep herself busy by shedding the horrible uniform, but her patience finally ran out.

Pulling herself back up, Rey jogged back around the ship. "Fire up the engines and be ready to take off as soon as I'm back." She shouted to Finn and Rose. Out of the corner of her eye she glimpsed their bewildered looks as she took off running down the hall. Rey was so focused on finding Ben it didn't register with her that Poe was no longer there.

Poe's eyes narrowed as Rey disappeared behind the ship. He was tempted to follow, but her manner made it clear she wanted to be alone. Deciding he would figure out what was bothering her later, Poe refocused his attention back on the task at hand; boarding several dozen people onto the decent sized cargo ship. As he ushered everyone up the narrow ramp, his eyes slowly took in every detail of the room, eventually coming to rest on a large wooden crate. Poe popped the lid open easily and was rewarded with the sight of fresh-from-the-manufacturer blasters. He pulled one out, grateful to finally have some means of protection. As he was inspecting the weapon, faint voices began emanating from the hallway. Poe cautiously made his way out of the bay, keeping his finger on the blaster trigger. As he peered around the corner, anger clouded his vision and his blood ran cold. A little girl was struggling against the grip of a kneeling Kylo Ren. All rational thoughts left Poe's mind as he brought the blaster up to eye level and took aim at the dark haired supreme leader.


	8. Chapter 8

At Hux's command, all the storm troopers fired their weapons in sync. Ben threw up his hand, suspending the bolts in midair. Even though they were still a few feet away, he could feel the electricity emanating from them pulse through the air. This particular trick had always been a specialty of his, but even he wouldn't be able to maintain control over so many for long.

"Get to safety." Ben shouted to Alana, still trying his best to shield her. She quickly scrambled out from behind him and ran over to the cell door. Once she was safely out of the way Ben dodged to the side as he let the bolts loose, somersaulting into a kneeling position. The explosion that followed sent a slight shockwave rippling through the air, blowing Ben's curly hair across his face. Not bothering to survey the damage, Ben began attacking his foes with his signature rage. Having never been as adept with the graceful, almost acrobatic fighting style of the Jedi, he tended to rely on his impressive physical strength and raw power to cut down his enemies.

The first trooper that advanced on him never stood a chance as Ben rose and swung his blade, decapitating him cleanly. A hail of blaster shots started filling the hallway, emanating from the second attacker. Ben whirled his saber around in a blur of red, skillfully deflecting the barrage of fire. He kept advancing through the firestorm, finally getting close enough to grab the blaster and push it towards the ceiling.

But before he could finish the job, Ben's sharp ears picked up a small whimper. He glanced and over and saw a solider bearing down on Alana, who was burying her face in the small, torn doll. Twisting his opponent around and seizing him in a headlock, Ben aimed the trooper's weapon and shot Alana's would-be assailant. Then, in one quick movement, Ben snapped the struggling trooper's neck.

As he pushed the dead weight away, two more opponents came at him. Ben used the force to shove one backwards into his partner and they both went tumbling to the ground. The next stormtrooper was wielding an electrified baton and Ben had to take a few steps back as the soldier swung it wildly. Ben could feel the heat sting his face as the baton nearly grazed his chest. He quickly regained his balance though and began striking back offensively. Amazingly, the trooper was able to block the first couple of attacks, sparks flying whenever the two crackling weapons made contact. Fortunately, Ben had much more experience and was able to turn the tables, slowly pushing the man back until he stumbled. Seizing the opportunity, Ben pushed his sword through the batons handle and twisted to the side, wrenching the weapon out of the trooper's hands. Slashing upwards, Ben sliced his armor open with little resistance. Basic storm trooper armor really was useless against such a powerful weapon.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw the two soldiers he'd previously knocked down were back on their feet and now flanking him. They had both discarded their blasters with one now wielding a five foot long spear while the other gripped a white-hot metal chain whip. Both weapons were reminiscent of ones the Praetorian Guard had used. Ben's gaze darted back and forth between them as they slowly circled him, looking for any weaknesses. Knowing he couldn't watch them both, Ben lowered his saber and dropped his gaze to the floor. He relaxed, reaching out with the force to sense their next movement. As both adversaries moved in unison towards him Ben spun around and blocked the strike from the spear, pushing it down towards the floor. At the same time he ducked to avoid a high swing from the whip. Ben kicked out, making contact with the whip-wielding opponent, and sent him stumbling back a couple of steps. Grabbing the other trooper Ben shoved him into wall with considerable force, knocking him unconscious. At the last second he seized the final fighter in a force choke hold and suspended him a couple of inches in the air. Ben closed the distance between them with a couple of long strides and stabbed him quickly.

The body had barely hit the floor when a white-hot, searing pain ripped through Ben's left side. The force from the shot was so strong it knocked him off his feet. Ben looked up to see Hux advancing towards him holding some sort of modified, supercharged blaster, his face practically gleeful at the damage he'd inflicted on the ex-sith lord.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that. You were always the favorite in Snoke's eyes, even though I clawed my way to the top of the First Order. Then, you throw everything away to help some lowly, pathetic scavenger. After I finish you off, I'll be sure to make her death a long and painful one." Hux leveled the blaster at Ben again, his eyes glinting with hatred.

Ben's anger became overwhelming at hearing Hux's threats against Rey. Power from the dark side surged through his veins but, before he could strike, a small voice shouted from behind Hux."Leave him alone!" Out of nowhere, something small and soft flew through the air and collided with the back of the general's head.

Hux turned around with a look of shock and surprise to see the scrawny peasant girl standing a few feet away, her tiny hands clenched into fists. "How dare you…" But he never managed to finish that sentence.

The moment his attention had shifted to Alana, Ben had moved with breathtaking speed and plunged his saber up to the hilt into Hux's chest. Feeling the life force draining from the dying man, Ben leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "That's for your insults towards Rey. You will never harm us again."

A final smile flashed over Hux's face. "Don't be so sure about that." Then his eyes closed and he crumpled to the floor.

Ben sank down onto one knee, feeling the energy drain out of him even as he tried to stem the flow of blood. Suddenly, the force shifted around him and Rey's voice shouted through the bond. " _Ben. BEN! Hang in there, I'm coming for you_."

" _No_." He forced the word through the connection with as much effort as he could muster. " _I'll make it to you_." Worried that Rey wouldn't listen to him, Ben tried to close the bond as best he could. Gathering his strength Ben stumbled to his feet, flinching as the movement magnified the pain. He called out to Alana who had backed up slightly since her show of courage. She picked up her doll and then hurried to his side, taking his outstretched hand without hesitation.

The two moved swiftly as possible back to the bay, Ben gritting his teeth as it took all his focus to simply put one foot in front of the other. They had nearly made it when Ben's legs gave way and he collapsed onto all fours, his weapon clattering to the floor. Darkness clouded the edge of his vision as he struggled to remain conscious. Alana tugged frantically on his arm. "Get up. Please get up."

"I….I can't make it". Ben breathed heavily, unconsciousness pulling at him.

"You have to." Alana begged, still trying to help him stand.

Looking up to meet the young girl's gaze, Ben caught a flash of movement over her shoulder. He tried to react, but it was too late. For the second time that day, searing pain coursed through his body, zapping what little strength he had left. Ben fell backwards onto the ground as his right shoulder went almost numb.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the hall, punctuating Alana's screams of protest. Trying to pull himself into a sitting position Ben recognized the pilot, Poe Dameron, running towards them.

"Get away from her!" The rebel general yelled, right before landing a hard kick right on Ben's stomach. Poe spotted the fallen lightsaber and picked it up. "Let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine." He said igniting it, the red light causing eerie shadows on his face.

Ben was too weak to move and could only watch in horror as Poe raised the unstable blade high above his head, preparing to drive it into what he believed to be the cold, black heart of his ultimate enemy.

 **A/N: I love to leave everyone hanging with these clifhangers! Not sure if the next chapter will be up before the weekend, but I'll try. Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry it took me a little bit to get this chapter up. I have at least one more chapter planned, but I might write more if I think of another story line to do. Thanks for reading and as usual, please review!**

Rey flew out of the cargo bay, her feet hardly touching the floor. Her connection to Ben felt fuzzy and weak so she knew something was wrong.

Rey rounded the corner and froze at the sight before her, her heart skipping a beat. Ben was lying on the ground, unmoving. Standing over him was Poe, holding that infamous red, crackling lightsaber. He was raising it above his head, preparing to kill the man Rey loved more than anything in the galaxy. A young girl stood a few feet away from them yelling something at Poe, but the words didn't register with Rey.

Adrenaline shot through Rey like lightning. She rushed in-between the two men, practically leaping the last few feet. Blue light filled the hallway as she ignited her own saber and blocked Poe's wild swing. He didn't even have a chance to register what was happening before Rey shoved him back with the Force. She called Ben's blade back into her own hand, the metal handle still warm from Poe's grip.

Rey dropped to her knees beside Ben and gently rolled him onto his back. She was horrified to see dark stains spreading slowly over his chest and shoulder. Now that he was no longer controlling the bond, Rey could feel the waves of pain emanating from him. "Ben, can you hear me?" But even as the question left her lips, she could feel him slip into unconsciousness. "Ben! No! Stay with me!" Seeing him so broken and helpless like this caused her insides to seize up. She couldn't lose him now, not after everything they'd been through.

"Rey, get away from him. He's dangerous." Poe had gotten back to his feet and was approaching the two Force users.

"You stay the hell away from him." Rey rounded on him, her eyes blazing with such a fire that Poe actually took a step back. "Did you do this?"

"Yeah, I shot him. But he was hurting the kid; I was trying to save her." Poe motioned to the small girl, who had gone silent since their exchange had started.

Rey looked at the young child for an explanation, but she was shaking her head in protest. "No he wasn't. He's not a bad man anymore. He saved me from the mean soldiers."

Rey glanced back at Ben, who was growing paler by the minute. "He's hurt badly; I have to get him to the shuttle." She focused her stare on Poe again. "I don't want to fight you, but I will if you stand in my way. So, are you going to help me?"

Poe scoffed. He couldn't fathom how Rey suddenly wanted to help the man who had been hunting them across the galaxy. "No way! I'm not risking my neck to help that monster. He deserves this after all he's done."

Rey almost lost it when Poe called Ben a monster. Her anger spiked, causing the Force to pulse around her. "Look, Ben is the only reason you are still alive! He has risked everything, including losing me, to help all of us! Don't you dare call him a monster."

Poe seemed stunned, trying to make sense of what Rey was saying. "But….he….what?" He shook his head, unable to form the questions that were flooding his mind. "No, this has to be a trap. That murderer has no reason to help any of us. He…."

"I love him." The words brought a deafening silence to the hallway, the weight of them seeming to suck the air out of Poe. Rey couldn't believe she'd actually said it out loud, but she didn't know how else to get through to him. "We're connected more deeply than you can imagine. Our thoughts, feelings, and even our very destinies are entwined. I don't expect you to understand, but I need you to trust me, please."

Poe couldn't seem able to say or do anything at her revelation, his face showing a mix of shock and horror. Rey needed to know if she could rely on Poe, but they couldn't waste any more time. First Order forces could find them at any moment. Rey clipped both sabers to her belt and started trying to raise Ben up. She was considering using the force to aid her when a second pair of arms wrapped around Ben's torso.

Rey looked up to meet Poe's gaze. "I do trust you, but this conversation isn't over yet. You still have a lot of explaining to do." He said, making it clear that he wasn't going to let this go.

Rey breathed a sigh of relief and they hoisted Ben up together. It took both of them to support his large frame as they moved back toward the cargo bay.

The young girl was sticking close to them as they walked. "Is he going to be ok?" She asked, her voice hardly more than a whisper.

A lump formed in Rey's throat, but she forced herself to answer. "I hope so. What's your name?"

"Alana." She replied, hugging her doll tighter.

Finn and Rose were there to meet them when the unlikely group trudged into the hanger. Looks of shock were mirrored on both their faces as they registered the unconscious figure held up by Rey and Poe.

Rey could tell they both had a million questions. "There's no time to explain. We need to get out of here, now!"

Finn's gaze locked with Poe as though expecting him to issue different orders, but Poe just nodded curtly. Finn still looked like he wanted to protest, but the sound of heavy footsteps cut him off. Everyone realized they were about to have company.

Rose quickly held out her hand to Alana. "Come on, sweetie. Let's go find your parents." The two ran into the ship, disappearing into the bulkheads.

Finn's dark eyes met Rey's, and she was surprised how cold they were. "You better have a good reason for this. Why you're helping….Him."

"I do. Please, just get Ben to the shuttle and prepare to launch. I will take care of the troops." Reluctantly, Rey pulled away from Ben so that Finn could take her place. She saw the two guys exchange another glance and hoped she wasn't making a mistake leaving Ben alone with them.

As they walked away, Rey took a deep breath to calm herself, knowing she had a hard fight ahead. She unclipped and activated her saber, letting its energy flow through her. But, even as she tried to center herself in the Force, something was pulling at her. Rey looked down and realized Ben's saber was still hanging at her waist. Almost as if in a trance, Rey took it in her other hand and ignited it. She gasped at the sensation caused by wielding both a dark and light weapon. It was unlike anything she'd ever experienced. A sense of balance came over her as the red and blue blades hummed in beautiful harmony. Their energies sparked in contrast, but also complimented each other.

Rey checked and saw the three men reaching the top of the ramp. Their introduction to Ben had not gone as planned and she hoped they'd be willing to listen. She turned her attention back the door as a group of armed stormtroopers marched through.

Not giving them a chance to start firing, Rey lunged forward, swinging her duel blades. The ensuing fight must have been a sight to behold. Rey slashed and struck at each trooper, moving like a blur through their ranks. The Force seemed to heighten her senses and make the battle come into sharp focus. These men had been trained to take orders and not think for themselves all their life. This made it easy for Rey to see into their minds and sense their next actions.

Body after body fell to the ground, until Rey was the only one left standing. She was breathing hard, both sabers hanging limply by her side. Looking around at the aftermath, Rey realized she had been tapping into both the Light and Dark sides of the force. The Jedi texts she'd read had implied this would cause conflict, and thus weakness. But what she had achieved just now was far from that. She had used the structure and focus of the Jedi teachings, but let her emotions fuel her power.

The roar of the ship's engines jolted her back to reality. She looked up to see Finn standing at the top of the ramp, watching her with uncertainty. Knowing that more troopers could find them soon, Rey deactivated her sabers and ran onboard the ship. Finn closed the door and turned to face her. He opened his mouth to speak, but Rey held up her hand to silence him. "I promise, I will explain everything later. But right now I need to know where Ben is."

Finn hesitated for a moment and then motioned to a doorway off the main holding area. Without a word Rey raced through it, praying she wasn't too late.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for the delay on this chapter, I haven't had much time to write lately. As always, please enjoy and review!**

Rey burst through the door to the small back room on the ship, not sure what to expect. She froze for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the different light and she took in the scene. Ben lay unconscious on a table; his raven black hair was matted and sweaty and framed his extremely pale face. A teenage girl with curly red hair, probably one of the civilians they'd rescued, stood over him, pressing a blood stained towel to the injured man's side.

Rey didn't even remember crossing the room, but the next instant she was standing over her beloved, clutching his hand with her own. "Ben" Her voice could barely manage more than a whisper.

Rey reached out through their connection, but Ben's force signature felt distant and weak. It had become second nature to always have his presence in the back of her mind and the emptiness she currently felt was terrifying. Sensing how much he was struggling to hang on only deepened her fear even worse. She focused on Ben and spoke in her mind, hoping he could hear her. " _Please, don't leave me_."

A voice she didn't recognize jarred Rey back to reality. "Make sure to keep that pressure on the wound. I just need one more thing before I start fixing him up."

Rey jerked her head up to see a young, blonde woman hustling around the room gathering various items. "Who are you?!" Rey demanded.

"My name is Rilac and I'm trying to save this man. Although the lack of supplies available here is going to make that difficult." Rilac dug a flight suit out from a storage bin and thrust it at Rey. "You're Rey, right? Here, start ripping this into strips. We're going to need bandages."

Rey glanced down at the piece of clothing with surprise and then a thought formed in her mind. "Wait, how do I know you're really going to help him? You surely know who he is, so what's to stop you from harming him further."

Rilac stopped moving for a moment and met Rey's suspicious gaze, her blue eyes filled with determination. "This man saved my daughter. Now, I know there have been stories about what he's done, but anyone who would risk their life to save a child is not all bad. Plus, he appears to have won your heart so I would say that also vouches for his character. Wouldn't you agree?" Without waiting for an answer the woman returned to her work.

Rey was stunned for a moment. She hadn't expected anyone to be willing to help Ben, but it appeared she'd been proven wrong. With one final squeeze, she reluctantly dropped Ben's hand and started tearing the article of clothing as instructed. By now, Rilac had finished her raid of the room and was starting to undo the many layers of Ben's black clothing. She carefully removed his shirt and Rey gasped at the sight of the two open wounds on his chest. The deeper one carved across his lower left side, while the blaster wound on his right shoulder was smaller, but still bad looking. Rey's hand absent mindedly went to her own side, where a phantom pain had been plaguing her since Ben had first received the injury.

Rey was so distraught at the sight of Ben that she almost didn't register Rilac talking to her. "Miss. Miss!" Rey met her gaze, but her eyes were already stinging with tears. "Miri here is going to assist me with the cleaning and stitching up. I need you to keep an eye on his pulse and hold him down if he wakes up." Rey nodded silently at Rilac's instructions and her fingers quickly found the vein on Ben's neck where she could feel the faint beating of his heart. Rilac was continuing with her instructions, this time to Miri, but Rey blocked her out and focused on Ben. She forced her breathing to slow down and attempted to steady her shaking body. Reaching out through the force, Rey tried to sense Ben's life force and hold onto it.

The room seemed to slip away and Rey's vision seemed to shift. She could see the energy of everything around her, including the distinct auras of power around herself and Ben. Even though she couldn't see it directly, Rey could tell hers was bright and strong. Ben's was naturally darker than hers, but she could tell it was faint and dull. Black holes that radiated a consuming energy were located over where his physical wounds were. Rey wasn't really sure what to do, so she tried directing some of her own energy into him. Surprisingly, tendrils of energy seemed to flow down her arms, through her hands, and into Ben. She pushed out with her mind at the dark holes in his aura, willing them to get smaller. Her own energy force seemed to dim slightly as Ben's grew stronger. Deep down, Rey knew that she could take this too far and drain herself. But at this point she didn't care, she couldn't lose Ben again.

Rilac had been concentrating on her task at hand. Even though she had her doubts from the beginning that this man would pull through, she was still giving it her all. At first it was hard to even manage the loss of blood, but miraculously it seemed to start slowing on its own.

"Ma'am, look." Miri spoke in a quiet voice, wonder and awe lacing her tone.

Rilac looked up and saw Rey's eyes were closed and a white light emanated from the young woman's hands. She had heard the old legends of the Jedi being able to do wondrous things, but it was still a shock to see it in person. It was mesmerizing to watch, but Rilac knew she couldn't waste time. She returned to stitching the blaster wound, hoping that whatever Rey was doing was helping.

As she worked, Rilac thought about what Rey had said, her hesitation at her willingness to help. Rilac was no Force user, but she'd always been a little more sensitive to things than the rest of her village. When the Supreme Leader, or Ben as Rey had called him, had first opened their cell door, Rilac could just sense he had no intent to harm them. She had told her daughter, Alana, to stay close by as she helped one of the older members of their group make the journey to the shuttle bay. Rilac shuddered slightly as she remembered the fear that had nearly paralyzed her upon realizing that Alana was gone. She had been ready to run back through the halls in a frantic search, but Ben had stopped her. There had been genuine concern in his eyes when he heard what had happened. When he risked his life to go find Alana, Rilac had known then this man was not the monster everyone thought he was. So when the resistance pilot had brought an injured Ben on board Rilac had stepped in, making sure he was tended to and kept out of harm's way.

Rilac finally applied the last bandage and breathed a sigh of relief. She glanced up and saw that Rey hadn't moved, the white light still glowing around her hands. Turning to Miri she thanked the young girl for her assistance, knowing that couldn't have been easy for her. As she watched Miri exit the small room, a nagging feeling told Rilac that she'd better intervene in Rey's work or she might have two patients to worry about.

Rey lost track of how long she spent in her meditation, but was eventually pulled out of it at the feeling of a light touch on her arm. She opened her eyes and saw Ben's chest was now bandaged up. Rilac was standing to her side looking at her with mild curiosity. Rey stepped back slightly from the table and a wave of exhaustion washed over her. She nearly collapsed, but Rilac grabbed her arms and guided her to a nearby chair.

"Are you all right?" Rilac's eyes showed concern as she knelt beside her.

Rey nodded, although she was still a little dizzy from her exertion of power. "Is he going to be alright?" She was desperate to know the answer, but still scared of what it might be.

Taking a deep breath, Rilac spoke with a gentle tone. "It's too early to say for sure, but I think so. I still want to watch him closely, he lost a lot of blood and there's always the possibility for infection." Rey let out a small sob of relief and Rilac's heart went out to her. "I'll leave you alone for a bit, but I will be back later to check on the bandages." She stood and walked towards the door.

Rey finally found her voice. "Thank you. I…I don't know what I would have done without you."

Rilac offered a small smile. "I would guess you helped out too, some sort of force healing I suppose?"

Rey did really know how to answer. She'd never been trained on anything like that, although she and Ben had talked about it a couple of times. Instinct had seemed to guide her on what to do, but she wasn't sure if it was hers or Ben's. "Still, you didn't turn your back on him like some would."

"I was just trying to return the favor. Plus, I believe we all deserve second chances." Rilac turned and exited the room, the door clanging shut behind her.

The moment she was alone, all the emotions and memories of the past few hours came rushing back to Rey. She covered her face with her hands and finally allowed herself to be overwhelmed with emotion. The excitement of seeing Ben again, the fear and emptiness of his supposed betrayal, and the relief upon realizing he did still love her. Finally, the utter panic and gut-wrenching heartache when she thought she might lose the man who meant everything to her.

Rey had finally managed to calm down enough so her breathing stopped coming in sobs when a deep voice off to her side caused her to nearly jump out of the chair.

"It's time we talked."


End file.
